Amusement apparatus



am 23, 1940- N. BARTLETT AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec.

Jan, 23, 140. N. BARTLETT.

AMUS'EMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 193'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 23, 1940. N. BARTLETT AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dee. `17, 1937 3 sheets-sheet s Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED; :STATES gli'lrlllaN-Tv otFFicE;

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in public amusement apparatus. o It has for its chief object to provide anv apparatus of-this character which is designedv toproduce illusory eiects of movement in linear or circular paths.

Another, object of the invention is toprovide an illusion of movement apparatus for amusecorresponding increase of illusion` effect.

MvAv still further object is to provide the apiparatus with means .for imparting movement to the patrons as they pass through the same and thereby accentuate the illusion of movement.

w Another object ,is to provide a transparent imirror arrangement so disposed that spectators will s ee in a multiplied form the illusion eiects for'ballyhoo purposes.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterldescribed and particularly? pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:V

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the amusemen apparatus embodying my invention. Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged cross sections taken on the correspondingly-numbered lines lin Figure 1. Figure-i is a fragmentary diagrammatic View of the means for controlling the successive groupor sequence lighting of the light-emitting elements. Figure ,5 is a detail side elevation of one of the `upright enclosures. Figure 6 is a horizontal section of a modification form ofthe invention. 45 Figure 7- is a fragmentary side elevation of the f right hand or exit end thereof. FigureS is a cross section takenon line 8 8, Figure 6.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughthe several views.I 50 vIn its general organization my amusement apparatus consists of a plurality of enclosures through which the amusement patrons may pass, such enclosures being, by preference, substan- 5 tially cylindrical in shape with certain enclosures ment parksl and the likewhich employs a subpatron the visual size ofthe enclosure with a disposed substantially horizontaland others disposed in. a substantially uprightposition with intercommunicating walk-ways connecting the several enclosures; and light-emitting eleiooents applied inrows or in succession to the interior y walls of the enclosures with the elementsin certain enclosuresextending lengthwise thereof and the elementsof the other enclosures extending annularly about-the same, together with means` for successively controlling the lighting of the light-emitting elements in predetermined grouplike sequence to give the patrons different illusory movementA effects of the enclosures.k l y, By way of example, in the .embodimentjof the inventionshownin Figure 1, the arnusementapi paratus consists of apair of substantially horizontallyzdisposed enclosures Ill and Il which may bein the form of a drum or cylinder, and a pair of similar enclosures l2, IS which are disposedin a substantially upright position. Thesey pairs of jf enclosures may be :disposed sidelby side or in any 20 other appropriatenmanner and` the enclosures il),

I lj have walk-ways or platforms i4 which 4vextend lengthwise` thereoi and are located adjacent the bottomhof thegenclosures, the latter being open l atthei'rxrends for the ingress and egress of the 25 patrons-,to and fromfthe enclosures. The upright enclosuresuloZoJS have walk-ways 'or platforms l5.- f

at their lower ends which are more or less U- shape in plan with the ingress and egress openingsv forl the patrons formed atene side'and in `3I` the lower-portion of the enclosures, as indicated atzl in ,Figures -1 vand 5. The pairs of enclosures IB, ,U andl l2., i3 are preferably interconnected by suitable walk-ways l1, whereby the patrons may pass from the enclosure I0 to the enclosure l2, then across va Awalk-wayl i8 through the enclosure I3 and from the latter over the adjoining walk-way .l'lto the companion enclosure il. The main entrance to the amusement apparatus l is indicated at I9 and is connected by a vwalk-y "0 way 20 4to the Lenclosure I0, while the exit of the apparatus is indicated at 2| and is connected by awalk-.yway Z'Zvvith the enclosure! I." .Disposed within "each of the enclosures are light-emitting'elements'which are arranged' in 45 rows or in succession aboutthe'interior wall of the enclosure, and which elements are adaptedA to be successivelyflighted or flashed on and foff in pri-:determinedV or group 'sequence to create an. illusoryeffect of movement of the enclosure as the patronspass therethrough. While any suitable and well known form of lightemitting elementsmay be provided, such as electric lamps @arranged ,in covesfabout thefenclo sures, I prefer to use neon tubes, which are indicated at 23. In the enclosures I and i3, these light tubes may be arranged to extend lengthwise of the enclosure substantially from end to end thereof, while in the enclosures I I and I2 the tubes may extend annularly or in ring-like fashion about the interior walls of the enclosures,

whereby different illusionary effects of movementv of the enclosures are created. The longitudinally-extending light-emitting elements, when ashed on and off in predetermined sequence, will give the eifect of a rotation of the enclosure in one direction or the other and by controlling the speed oi' the controlling mechanism of these elements a corresponding high or low speed illusion of rotation can be effected. The annular arrangement of the light-emitting elements will, in a similar manner, create the illusion of traveling backwards or forwards while the patron passes through the corresponding enclosure.

For the purpose of controlling the hashing on or off of the light-emitting elements 23 in predetermined group sequence to create the 'different illusory effects of movement, any suitable and well known electric fiashing device or mechanism may be employed. For example, I have shown in Figure 4, diagrammatically, a form of such device consisting of a rotor 24 included in an electric circuit 25 having switch contacts or segments 26 thereon which are disposed at different radial points about the surface of the rotor and which are adapted to successively make contact with companion switch contacts 21 suitably connected to a plurality or group of companion lightemitting tubes 23. In the example shown, these tubes have been represented as those which extend lengthwise of the enclosure and all the tubes of a given series or group are connected to the one switch Contact 21 so that, say, every third light-emitting tube of the whole `set Will light simultaneously, whereby as the rotor revolves every tube of the series connected to the first contact El will simultaneously light vup. Asthe rotor continues to revolve the second series of tubes connected to the second switch contact 21 will simultaneously light up immediately'after the first group goes out, and so on, this successive on and off lighting creating the illusory eiect of movement of the enclosure.

To further accentuate the illusory effects of movement created by the successive sequence lighting of the tubes 23, the platform or Walkway I4 may be suspended from chains 28 or like K to a certain extent and thereby the illusionar'y effects created will be doubly eiective.

Instead of Walking through the enclosures, cars or vehicles 3i maybe used to travel over tracks 32 mounted on the platform to convey the patrons through the enclosures.

If desired, mirrors 33, 34 may be positioned at the opposite ends of the enclosures I0 and II, in the manner shown in Figure 1, to further accentuate the illusory elfects of movement. As the patrons travel through these enclosures they see images of the light tubes' E3 reected in these mirrors thereby materially increasing the effectiveness of the illusion of movement. vThe mirror 34 at the front end of the enclosure II'Iy may be of the phantom or transparent type, so that persons viewing this amusement apparatus from the outside may get some idea what is happening on the inside of the alined enclosure. Mirrors 35 may be associated with the top and bottomlof the upright enclosures I2 and I3 to render more effective the illusion of movement, and enlarge the patrons conception as to the size of the enclosure.

Referring tothe modified form of the invention depicted in Figures 6 8, inclusive, 36 indicates a substantially horizontal enclosure in the form of a tube or tunnel open at its ends for the ingress and egress of patrons and having a walkway or platform 31 extending therethrough. Ap-

plied to the interior of this enclosure are aplurality of light-emitting or reflecting elements 38 which are disposed side by side from end to end of theenclosure and in this instance are preferably in the form of highly polished hoops or rings secured'in spaced relation to the enclosure-wall by `web-like bands 39. At the exit end ofthe enclosure and axially alined therewith is a disk 40 upon which light-emitting tubes 4I 'or the like are radially arranged and whichmay be lighted in successive series as heretofore described to give the effect of rotation, or if desired, the same effect may be created by positively driving the disk by any suitable means, as by a motor 42 and transmission 43. By this construction, as the patrons walk through the enclosure, the effect of rotation of the enclosure is created by the revolving disk 4i] as Well as by the light rays reflected from the disk onto the hoops 38, the latter creating the illusion of rotation of a succession of parallel light-emitting Aelements disposed in collective predetermined fashion on the internal wall` of said enclosure' for intermittent 'lighting vin predetermined sequence to produce an illusion of movement of the enclosure.

2. An amusement'apparatus of the character' described, comprising an enclosure through which patrons -may pass, ro-Ws of light-emitting elements applied in substantially over-all fashion to the surrounding walls of said enclosure, and means for controlling the lighting of said elements in relatively predetermined 'sequence to produce an illusion of movement of the enclosure to the patrons.

3. An amusement apparatus for producing illusory effects of movement, comprising an enclosure having a platform therein and ingress andegress openings for the passageof patrons to f y and from the enclosure, a succession Oi'liglit;` emitting elements applied to the 'interior wall of said enclosure yfrom substantially end to end thereof, `and means for successively controlling the lighting of said elements in predetermined sequence to give the effect of a movement of the enclosure.

4. An amusement apparatus: of the character described, comprising a substantially cylindrical enclosure through-*which patrons may pass, lightemittingielements disposed in collective predeterminedfashion on the internal Wall of said enclosur'evfor intermittent lighting in predeterminedilsequence'to produce ,an illusion of kmovementoflthe enclosuraand 'reflecting means dispose'd adjacent aan end ofsaid enclosine` and in the line of vision of the patrons passing through the enclosure. l

5. An amusement apparatus for producing -illusory elects of movement, comprising an enclosure having a platform therein and ingress and egress openings for the passage of patrons to and from the enclosure, a succession of light-emitting elements applied to the interior wall of said .enclosure from substantially end to end thereof,

means for successively controlling the lighting of said elements in predetermined sequencey togive i the effect of a movement of the enclosure, and

lmeans for imparting a movement to said platform to transmit a sense of 'unstability to the patrons as they pass through the enclosure.v

6. An amusement apparatus for producing illusory'eiects of movement, comprising a .pair of substantially cylindrical enclosures each having-a Walk-Way therein' and ingress andegress openings for the passage of patrons to and fromthe respective enclosures, and light-emitting ele-v ments disposed on the internal Walls of said enclosures for intermittent, successive lighting in predetermined sequence to produce an illusion of movement of the enclosure, the light-emitting elements in `one of the v'enclosures extending lengthwise thereof and the elementsin the/companion enclosure extending annularly about the same.

7. An amusement apparatus for producing illusory effects of movement, comprising a plurality of pairs of substantially' cylindrical'en` closures, each having a Walk-Way therein and ingress and egress openings for the passage of patrons to and from the respective enclosures, 'the enclosures of one pair being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and the enclosures of the other pair being disposed in a substantially vertical plane, light-emitting elements applied in rows to the internal Walls of said enclosures and extending substantially from end to end thereof, the light-emitting' elements in one of the enclosures of each pair extending length- Wise thereof and the elements of the companion enclosures extending annularly about the same,I

and means for'successively controlling the lighting `of said elements in predetermined sequence to give the different movement effects to the enclosures, respectively.

8. An amusement apparatus for producing illusory effects of movement, comprising an en- "closure'having a platform therein and ingress and egress openings for the passage ofpatrons to and from the enclosure, a plurality of -lightemitting rings applied to the internal wall of the enclosure and extending substantially from end to end thereof, and means disposed adjacent` the egress end of the enclosure having lightemitting elements thereon for creating the effect of rotation, the lightrays from said light-emitting elements being reflected onto said rings and creating the effect of rotation of the enclosure.

9. vAn amusement apparatus for producing illusory effects of movement, comprising an enclosure having a platform therein and ingress and egress openingsfor the passage of patrons to and from the enclosure, a plurality of highly polished rings applied to the internal wall of the l enclosure in spaced relation lengthwise thereof,

a disk disposed adjacentthe egress end of said enclosure in substantiallyl axial alinement therewith, said diskhaving light-emittingelements thereon'facing theenclosure and' arranged radia'lly` on the face4 ofthe disk, and ineans for' creating ythe effect" 'of rotationof said light-emiting reflected onto said rings and simultaneously creating the effect of rotation of the enclosure.

l0. In 'an amusement apparatus for producing an illusion of motion, an enclosure "adapted to contain a patron,`a plurality of sets of lightemitting elements `extending about said enclosure insuccessive fashion, the elements of .each

set .having therebetweenv elements of otherrsets, and means for intermittently lighting said sets of elements in sequence to produce an illusion .11. In'a'n amusement apparatus for producing ltingv elements,l the light; rays from the latter bei an illusion off motion, an enclosure adapted tol y rcontain a patron, said enclosure havingwalls formly-spaced light-emitting elementsdisposed in operative relation to `said reflecting porwith light reecting portions, substantially unitions, and means for reflecting in advancing relai tion the spaced light-emitting elements upon said f' light reilecting'portionsfor creating the illusion of motion of the enclosure relative to the patron.l

l2. In an amusement apparatus forproducing an illusion of motion, an enclosure, a passenger supporting device movable in said enclosure, a` plurality of sets of light-emitting elements arranged in successive fashion Within said enclosure with elements of each set having therebetween elements of other sets, and means for intermittently lighting said sets in advancing order to produce the eiect of motion of the enclosurey relative to said device.

13. In an amusement apparatus, an enclosure adapted to contain a patron, a plurality of lightemitting elements arranged'A around the walls of said enclosure from end to end thereof, and

means for 'intermittently lighting said elements in'a sequence "producing thev effect of rings of light-emitting means constantly advancing fromv one end to the other end of said enclosure, thereby creating an illusion of motionof the enclosure` y relative'tothe patron.` y

14. Inan amusement apparatus, an enclosure adapted'to contain a patron, a plurality oflightemitting. elements arranged around the Walls of said enclosure from end, to'end thereof, andmeans for intermittentlyv lighting said elements in a sequence producing the effect of bands of light constantly rotating around saidl enclosure,` 

